FSIN chief calls for Sask. gov’t to speed up disaster relief

The chief of the organization representing 74 Saskatchewan First Nations says it may be time for the federal government to step in as the province isn’t moving fast enough to deliver disaster assistance money.

“If the provincial government is going to stall things and make things a little harder for First Nations, then they should just get out of the picture,” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron said Wednesday.

Cameron was speaking at the First Nations Emergency Management Forum in Saskatoon, where representatives from First Nations communities across Saskatchewan gathered to take in presentations and discuss emergency preparedness and management.

He said money from the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) has yet to arrive in several communities that suffered losses in the 2015 wildfire season, including the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and the area around La Ronge.

The 2015 wildfire season saw well over 10,000 people evacuated from northern Saskatchewan.

“It has been, what, three, four years now since the fires? And there are still some of the First Nations homeowners and communities who have still not gotten compensation,” Cameron said.

Cameron said it’s crucial to improve disaster response, as many First Nations are located in parts of the province that are prone to things like flooding and wildfires.

He pointed to frequent flooding on the Red Earth First Nation northeast of Prince Albert as an example where all levels of government will need to act soon.

“Ultimately, one day, if there’s a torrential rainfall, that whole community is going to be completely flooded,” Cameron said, adding this would mean the potential loss of hundreds of buildings and homes.

Province says it has no outstanding claims

PDAP is a program that can cover an applicants’ uninsurable essential losses, as well as costs of cleanup, repairs and temporary relocation following a disaster.

In an emailed statement, a spokesman for the provincial Ministry of Government Relations said there were no outstanding PDAP claims related to either the Lac La Ronge Indian Band or the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation stemming from the 2015 wildfire season and that there was no record of either band applying  for designation under the program.

The statement went on to note fire damage generally does not qualify under the program as insurance is widely available.